Cobh edge through after spot kick fest
Limerick FC 2-2 Cobh Ramblers
After extra-time – Cobh won 3-2 on penalties
Cobh Ramblers booked a place in the third round of the FAI Carlsberg Cup with a sensational penalty shoot-out victory over Limerick FC at the Pike Rovers Sports Ground on Tuesday night, when there were hits and misses galore from 12 yards and Limerick goalkeeper Jimmy Fyffe spent a spell up front due to the lack of fit players in the Shannonsiders’ squad.
Cobh led twice in normal time, but were pegged back on both occasions form the penalty spot by Limerick’s on-loan Cork City striker Colin Patrick O’Brien, the second spot kick coming deep into injury time at the end of the 90 minutes.
And after 30 extra minutes failed to separate the sides, the match went to a shoot-out but agonizingly, O’Brien failed to complete a hat-trick of successful spot kicks as the Shannonsiders crashed out in dramatic circumstances, with Cobh defender Anthony Wolfe sealing their passage with the decisive kick.
After a sensational 3-3 draw in the first game at St Colman’s Park at the weekend, the supporters of both sides had no right to expect a repeat performance, but Tuesday night’s encounter was possibly even more dramatic.
The visitors took the lead through skipper Stephen Yelverton from the penalty spot after 28 minutes, but O’Brien hauled Limerick level, also from a penalty, eight minutes later.
Robert Brosnan gave Cobh the lead for the second time midway through the second half, firing past Jimmy Fyffe to the delight of the large travelling Ramblers support.
With just 13 players at his disposal, Limerick manager Mike Kerley had just two substitutes on the bench, one of whom was sub keeper John Healy.
So, with eight minutes remaining, Kerley sent Healy into the game in place of Declan Quigley and brought Fyffe – who started up front in one game earlier in the campaign - into the attack to add some much-needed brawn up front.
With 5 minutes to go Limerick's Chesney should have walked for stamping,but Kelly being the anti-Ramblers faggot that he is gave him a smile and slap on the ass,told him at least hurt him next time and let him off.
And the home side’s reward came when referee Alan Kelly caused a stir in injury time when awarding Limerick their second penalty – and the game’s third – right at the death, and O’Brien held his nerve to fire his 11th goal of the campaign, seven of which have come in Limerick’s Cup outings.
The extra-time couldn’t split the sides and Cobh held their nerve marginally better in the shoot-out – despite Fyffe, returned to his normal goalkeeping role, producing two saves in the spot kick drama.
O’Brien, player/manager Mike Kerley and right back Stephen O’Mahoney(ha ha ******** ) all missed for Limerick before Anthony Wolfe beat Fyffe for the winning kick.
Limerick FC: Fyffe, O’Mahoney, Aherne, Finucane, Kerley, Conway, Hartnett, Cosgrave, Browne (Barry, 45), Quigley (Healy, 82), O’Brien.
Cobh Ramblers: Cuthbert, Wolfe, Meade, O’Donovan (Hill, 110), Andrews, Tynan, Cummins (Warren, 82), Yelverton, Murphy, O’Shea, Brosnan.
Referee: A.(THE GOUL)Kelly (Cork).
